Beating the Travel Blues: How to Tackle Jet Lag & Motion Sickness Like a Pro

From long-haul flights to bumpy boat rides, here’s how to keep your body in sync and your trip on track.

by Zainab Zaman 

Graphic by Melissa Lemieux

As spring blooms around us and hints of summer peek out behind the clouds, people start planning their holidays and setting off around the world. Travel sickness or the dreaded jet lag often accompanies visiting new cities and experiencing sprawling landscapes. As someone who traveled from Sydney to Houston to London in the span of three weeks, jet lag is a silent killer and should not be taken lightly. It’s important to try and beat those travel blues so your trip can be everything you dreamed of. 

Some of the most common travel illnesses manifest in different variations of motion sickness, such as car sickness for road trips and seasickness if your travel plans include a cruise or boat tour. Approximately one in three people will suffer from motion sickness, which can include dizziness, sweating, nausea, migraines, and more. 

If you’re feeling car or bus sick, the best solution to continue enjoying the ride is to move to the front of the car, as the front wheels are responsible for the direction, so the impact is felt less than in the rear. It’s also helpful to put away all books and screens to focus on the road in front of you. Looking down can amplify the feeling of dizziness and make matters worse. 

Seasickness can feel even worse, so if you know that you are prone to motion sickness, it’s recommended that you take Dramamine 30 minutes before boarding. Dramamine blocks the Histamine 1 receptor and prevents dizziness and nausea. If you plan on voyaging for an extended period, like a cruise, investing in Sea Bands might be your saving grace. Sea bands are wristlets with a ball to push on a pressure point, and they help reduce nausea through acupuncture. 

Jet lag can impede your vacation by ruining your internal clock, which is called a circadian rhythm. Your body is adjusted to a home time zone, so when it leaves, your rhythm gets thrown off. The more time zones you cross, the more disoriented you might feel. Symptoms of jet lag include day fatigue or a general tiredness throughout the day, insomnia, being less alert, mood changes, and stomach issues like diarrhea and constipation. 

These issues can ruin a holiday or an abroad meeting, but some small tips help ease the time zone transition. The first step is getting your body ready a day or two before the journey to try and start adjusting your internal clock to a different time zone. Dehydration also amplifies jet lag, so ensure that you drink plenty of water to combat dry air in the cabin. Avoid caffeine and alcohol before traveling; it not only affects your sleep but also dehydrates you. Light also greatly impacts your circadian rhythm, so manipulating light exposure can help with jet lag. For instance, when traveling east, expose yourself to morning light to adjust better, whereas when traveling west, expose yourself to evening light for a better experience. 

Even if you follow these tips and sleep on the plane, jet lag will still likely hit you. The most important thing is that you don’t let jet lag beat you. That means powering through, even if you’re about to crash at 1:00 p.m. at your new destination. The quicker you readjust that internal clock, the more enjoyment you’ll get from the holiday you’ve been looking forward to.